How to Pack for a Trip, By Tanner

We are leaving for a trip down to California for Cammie and Chris's wedding. In order to have some personal time and space while I packed for all of us, I asked Tanner if he and Carter might be able to go pack Tanner's suitcase. Tanner has a little rocket ship suitcase that has a handle and wheels so he can roll it. It is very helpful that he can pack his own stuff around!

Later on, I was curious to see what he thought he needed for the week so I opened up his suitcase and found that he had packed most all of his and Carter's trucks. I thought it was so sweet that he packed for Carter too! I'm sure Carter appreciated it and was a big help during the whole packing process!
He also included cheetah and baby truck in the smaller front pocket! As long as you have a truck, no matter how big or small, old or new, you are set!


I hope he won't be too disappointed when we get on the plane and he realizes I have replaced all the boys trucks with their DVD player and a few movies so they can watch movies on the plane!

Our Big Helper!

Tanner is our big helper! Here is a little video of him helping Carter walk! They have been playing so great together today which has been wonderful!

Too Yummy!!!

These were just too delicious not to share!

We have about 3 new zucchini's to pick everyday so I am constantly looking for recipes that call for zucchini or at least recipes that I can add a zucchini too! This was so very good! It rivals Barbacoa's zucchini chips and it's healthy! It doesn't get much better than a healthy home cooked Barbacoa knock off!

Oven Baked Zucchini Chips

Compliments of Cooking Light

1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons fat-free milk

2 1/2 cups (1/4-inch-thick) slices zucchini (about 2)

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425°.
Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place milk in a shallow bowl. Dip zucchini slices in milk, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place coated slices on an ovenproof wire rack coated with cooking spray; place rack on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. Serve immediately.

Garden fresh zucchini sliced up


Ready for the oven!

I do have to say that I did not follow the instructions. I was a little distracted with the boys and accidentally added the milk to everything else. So, I just placed the zucchini on the cookie sheet and spooned the mixture on top. They had been in the oven for about 15 minutes when I realized that I also should have put them on a wire rack that was then placed on the cookie sheet. Oops again-where the heck is my head? They turned great and it was maybe even easier, and I used 2 less pans! Gotta love that! However, in hindsight, I think I would just go ahead and follow the directions next time!

Fishy's Fishy's Everywhere!

So I kind of didn't feel all that great this week. I kind of didn't get too much sleep at night this week. I kind of took a "battle through it all" approach and so decided that a week of pool time, and going to the park, and basically not slowing down at all would be the best thing to do. So, by Friday, I kind of wanted a little quiet time, and that just didn't seem to be happening. That's fine. I don't mind a bit. As I said, it was Friday, late afternoon and Tyler would be home soon. Then it would be the weekend and we could revert back to a "Man on Man" defense strategy and I could get some help and some quiet time.

Just then, Tanner asked if he and Carter could go upstairs and play together. How sweet. Yes!! Yes you guys can go upstairs and play! This was great. They were upstairs for about 15 minutes when I thought I should check up on them. Tanner had evidently taken the Costco box of Fishy Crackers upstairs with them. They were EVERYWHERE!!! Carter was in hog heaven because he is a little bottomless pit these days just shoving as many Fishy's in his mouth as he could and as fast as he could. Tanner was just having a blast with all the Fishy's that were scattered everywhere, including all down the stairs.

I made them both stay up there until they were all picked up and put back in the box. When Tyler got home he vacuumed up the little crumbs and took the box back to the kitchen when he realized that not only were the Fishy's back in the box, but that there were also Lego's, block's, and a few other little toys! At least when they clean up, they really clean up!

A fun visitor!

We had very fun visitors this week! Wednesday night, my old roommate from UCLA, Shana, arrived with her friend Chi and the big moving truck. She was moving from Dallas to Seattle where she will start her 5 years of surgical residency at Virginia Mason Hospital this Monday. I was so happy when she called and said she would be passing through! They stayed the night with us and we got to visit and reminisce about old times! It was great to share all our stories again and see just how differently the two of us have spent the last 10 years! I loved that she got to meet Tyler and the boys! Shana and I were up until 2:15 AM, which was so very normal for us at UCLA, but I am still recovering from it! I am not as good at staying up late anymore, which is too bad because it was a blast!!

Tanner loved the big truck! Shana looked hilarious in it when she pulled up in the drivers seat too!

Tanner wanted to drive them to Seattle!

Tanner, Shana, and Mommy

Carter was very excited to find the big truck outside our house the next morning!

I am so happy that Shana will be close enough to visit! I can't wait to spend more time with her and hear all about her impressive residency, I am so proud of her!

You wouldn't want to get house burned!

Today we went swimming at Ivy Wild pool. It was a blast! We met up with Chloe, Addy, Chelsea and Makayla. I put sunscreen on the kids before we left the house just to alleviate one less step when we got to the pool. Tanner likes to do things all by himself, and I usually let him, except I don't really like him to do the sunscreen by himself. He beat me to it this morning and got it everywhere and then told me he always needed to wear sunscreen, even in the house so he didn't get house burned. I don't really know how you get house burned, but it sounds awful so packed up and got out of the house just to avoid that kind of burn!

Here is Tanner with a lot of sunscreen on, or should I call it house screen?

The kids had a blast, Tanner loved going down the water slides, holding his breath and going under water and blowing bubbles, climbing on the turtle, and having Chloe help him pull the cord so the water would shower down on them! Even Carter was a little maniac just loving the water and going everywhere I would let him!

I would have taken more pictures but it was a little tough to get the camera going and make sure Carter did not go plowing into the deeper part of the pool! Here are a couple videos!

Tanner and Carter's Birthday Party

We kicked off the 4th of July weekend with a joint 1st and 3rd birthday party for Carter and Tanner on Friday afternoon. It was great fun! Family and friends were there to celebrate with us! My dad and Sue flew in for the occasion too! We started off the day with a visit from Uncle Bruce. He was heading out to the race track but wanted to say Happy Birthday to the boys before he left and let Tanner sit in his race car!

Tanner was so excited to sit in a real race car!

I think Tanner might have made Bruce a bit nervous-his hands were everywhere!

Sue and I made cupcake cones for desert!

Uncle Troy and Auntie Katie got Tanner Lincoln logs for his birthday! What a hit! Jaron built most of this! He opened up the instructions and started building! He did not get to finish so Tyler finished it for him! Very impressive work Jaron!

Orion and Carter with presents!

Tanner and Inara vrooming cars!

Party Excitement!

Tyler, Tanner, Jaron, and Ashley

Our big 3 year old!

Grandma and Mommy with Carter! Carter was so excited for the candle! I think it was still lit when he grabbed it!

The 2 Grandpa's, as Tanner likes to refer to them as!

Inara, Tanner, and Luke enjoying their hot dogs!

Mandy with the kids!

Uncle Troy and Baby Cooper!

We had a Farm Party so all the kids got their pictures taken in a farm frame! They turned out hilarious!

Jaron

Luke

Orion

Inara

Cooper

Carter

Tanner

Tanner-the water was shockingly cold!

Tanner! This was all before the kids got a little crazy and put the hose on the swing set slide! I have video of those stunts!

Too cool Carter!

These are a little small on Tanner, they look like specs!

Birthday Treats From Texas!

The mailman came yesterday and brought Tanner and Carter a box! Carter was napping and Tanner could not contain himself when I told him it looked like the box was from the Swan Family, our friends in Texas! He had to open it up right then!

They got a book of Bible Stories and a fun Cross to put in their toy room! Thanks Ande and Gideon!

Dairy Days, Date Night, Dad's Day, and 1st Birthday!

We had a busy weekend! We went to the Meridian Dairy days on Saturday to eat some of Daddy and Grandpa's yummy hot dogs, see the animals, play at the park, and see all the sites!

Carter also turned 1 on Saturday! I reminisced a little about how we were last year at this time. The first birthday is definitely more of a milestone for Tyler and I than for Carter! We were the ones that needed the acknowledgements of the happy birthday and completion of the 1st year milestone, not him! So, we went out on a date Saturday night! It was great! I just love spending quality time, eating good food, and having yummy drinks with Tyler! We are having a joint birthday party on July 3rd for both the boys-so don't worry....Carter will have his party too!

Sunday was Father's Day and we kicked off the day by going out to breakfast with my mom, then spent the rest of the day just the 4 of us relaxing and hanging out, and then headed over to visit with Tyler's parents later in the afternoon where the boys tried to fly a kite and Tanner road the little tractor. It was a very nice day!

Carter and Tanner on Carter's 1st Birthday

The Compton Boys!

Carters 1st Birthday

1 year old and happy!

Happy Birthday Carter!

Hooray for being 1!

Carter at 1 year; he has 6 teeth, he is 2ft 4 in tall, he weighs roughly 20lbs (we will know exactly when he goes in for his 1 year checkup this week), some of the things he loves are-playing with trucks and cars, swinging in swings, riding on the jeep, eating dirt and other numerous things that he picks up when we are outside, climbing things (which has me nervous most of the time)
milk, Tanner, being outdoors, and swimming!

Videos of Dairy days where Tanner got to hold a bunny and of Dad's Day out at Tyler's parents house of Tanner riding the little John Deer Tractor!

Today was also our California cousin Lindsay's Birthday and our Texas friend Katie's Birthday! Happy Birthday Girls! We love you and can't wait to check out your blog to see how your weekend went!

Photography-A new favorite hobby!

I feel like a hunter. I scope out good picture taking spots wherever we go now! I love to take pictures of the boys. It is my new favorite past time! I need to take a class to learn to use PhotoShop. It is a very involved program and doesn't seem to be something that I am just picking up on, I know it can do so much more than I know how to do right now! I spend hours playing around with pictures only to usually leave them just how they were or slightly different! I love the burning edges look and the soft focus look.

My friends and I love to go and take turns taking pictures of each others families! It is too much fun! Today we went to one of my super secret photo places to take pictures of the mommies and the kids for the daddies for Father's Day! They all turned out great and we can't wait to surprise the dads with them!

Tanner, Carter, and Mommy

Tanner thought it might be funny to try to jump into the pond, I didn't really think that was a great idea!

I wonder what Carter was looking at?

Please come and sit with your brother and I!

Walking

Carter! It's hard to believe he will be 1 years old tomorrow! This year seemed to fly by! I was just thinking this morning in the shower, that he was born on a Friday and it was when I was in the shower getting ready for work that I began to go into labor with him. It was hard to drop Tanner off at Pam's that morning because I knew it would be overnight before I got to see him again, which it was. It was also harder to bypass labor and delivery and go up the stairs to the NICU to work (Like I could get any work done at all!). Luckily, I only lasted a few hours before it was obvious I had to walk downstairs to L&D and welcome little Carter into the world! Time flies, don't blink!

Mommy and the two boys! Since I have been home with them, it has been so wonderful. Tanner will come up to me spontaneously throughout the day and give me hugs and kisses and tell me he loves me. It makes my heart melt.

Tanner and Carter love each other too which is wonderful!

Lip kisses!

Tanner loves to play ball!

Tanner! Tanner is coming up on 3 years. He will be 3 on July 1. He is growing up to be such a great kid! I love him! The potty training is working out just fabulously too! I could not be any more proud of him! He's doing a great job!

I love this picture! He might have a slight plumbers crack here, but he has his big boy undies on and did not have any accidents and that is all that matters!